Well, I’m back from the Mara! This was, by far, my favorite part of my trip. The Mara is beautiful; it’s exactly how most people picture Africa... plains with lone trees scattered throughout. The Mara River runs through the plains and along one side runs the Mau Escarpment (mountain range). Before reaching the Mara we stopped at the border of Tanzania so I could (illegally) cross the boarder. Then we went for a game drive. The nice thing about the Mara being plains is that we could off road the entire time (which I have many bruises from)… this meant we could get VERY close to the animals. The first wild life we saw was actually a lioness (my first lion!!). The grass was rather long so I didn’t get a great view. Continuing on we saw many elephants, giraffes, buffalo, antelope, zebras, all types of birds, and hyenas. There was a mother hyena and two babies... we stopped for a long time to take pictures because they were so cute! Later in the drive we saw another lioness… she walked off when we got close but came back with another lioness and two cubs. They all started walking and playing in the middle of the road- it was amazing to be that close to them! We went to the camp after the drive. At the camp there are 5 small houses- these belong to the wardens/rangers and the General Service Unit (the police that guard the border and watch for poachers). Evans is a field worker, so he is in the Mara quite often and knows all the wardens very well- I’m so glad he’s the one who took me there, with all his connections I had a wonderful experience. We pitched our tent in the dark then went to one of the wardens houses to cook dinner. Since Lisa and I were the only females, we were expected to make morning/nighttime tea and cook/serve dinner for the men while they sat around talking! It was very interesting, to say the least. After dinner Lisa and I went down to the tent to sleep. Evans was offered a bed in the warden’s house so we were all alone- with a horn to sound if we were surrounded by lions or hyenas of course. The next morning we woke early to go for a game drive. This time the first animals we saw were CHEETAHS! There were three young ones and no mother around... we followed them around for a bit so I could get lots of pictures. We then went to the river where there were two lions resting. We opened the roof of the car and got within a few feet of them. Male lions are SO lazy (but so beautiful) they get to lay around while the females do the hunting! The next exciting sight was the hippos. We spotted a group of them but we couldn’t get close enough in the car... so we got out and hiked through the bush. Normally, people are not allowed to walk around in the Mara; it’s too dangerous. But we had a warden (with a gun) with us so we were allowed! We went down the river a ways and found a group of hippos on the opposite shore. Almost all the hippos were bleeding because they fight a lot. Hippos actually kill more humans that lions or anything else do. They don't bother you as long as you are not between them and the water, but if you're in the way... you're dead. Seeing everything from a car was exciting, but actually being on foot and seeing the wildlife up close was just unreal!

Later in the day we took a trip up the mountains. We drove to the edge of the mountains and got out to look at the view- I have never seen anything more incredible. Then Lisa and I decided we wanted to get closer to the Zebras and elands (the biggest of the antelope) that were grazing so we got out of the car and walk around on foot. After scaring away all the wildlife we drove to a small group of Maasai ‘stores’. We got out and immediately a Maasai woman came up and hugged me and began playing with my hair (it’s always weird when strangers do this to me, but I’m getting used to it!). When we got back in the car a Maasai man climbed in with us. We drove to the Maasai Manyatta and got out... that’s when I found out that the man was actually the chief of the Manyatta. Many people visit this Manyatta, and normally you have to pay to get in, pay to take a picture with the chief, and then pay for any jewelry/carving you want. Since Evans knows the chief we were able to enter and take pictures with him for free. The chief took us inside his house- the huts are all made from mud and grass... cow dung is packed along the sides and roofs to make it very very sturdy and rock hard (the women/girls are the ones who have to pack on the cow dung... I actually saw them doing it). Inside the hut it was very dark but extremely warm and cozy. The chief told me and Lisa we should spend the night... we declined; I didn’t want to become his fourth wife- one of the other Maasai men had already tried to buy me from Evans! Before leaving the chief gave us both a bracelet (for free!). I am SO lucky and grateful to be staying with Evans and Lisa- with all their connections I am truly getting an incredible experience.

Back at the campsite we discovered that the rain had gotten into our tent and everything was soaked. Luckily, I pack all my clothes in plastic bags inside my duffel (thanks mom!) so nothing was wet or ruined. Our bedding, however, was soaked. We went up to the houses and visited the only house with a woman staying in it. When she heard what happened she insisted we stay with her. So, after dinner, we went back to her house to sleep... the houses there are extremely tiny- two small rooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen that you can’t fit more than two people in at a time... yet everyone is so hospitable! They offer you food and coffee and share whatever they have. When this woman offered to have us stay there, she meant that we would share her bed with her- it was a full size bed, but me and Lisa basically slept on top of each other. I am getting very used to sleeping in random places. The places that I’ve visited outside of Nairobi have been very eye opening and different. I’m glad that I’m actually experiencing how the majority of Kenyans live. It always feels strange at first, like when I realized I was going to share a bed with a woman I didn’t even know... but this is how the people here live, and everyone is just so amazingly hospitable... so I’ve learned to accept anything that feels strange/new.

Monday, after another game drive, we came home. On the way home we stopped along the river to see crocodiles. While Lisa and I were standing at the rivers edge we noticed a bunch of vervet monkeys in the bushes- including a baby. We took pictures and decided to see how close we could get. We were surprised when the monkeys let us come just inches away from them. The wardens there told us the monkeys were very friendly… so I got to touch them! I would hold out my hand and they would hit it and grab it. I love monkeys so of course this made my whole day. Also on the way home we saw a whole group of vultures feasting on a wildebeest (ew ew ew!). As soon as I got back last night I took a niiice hot shower- in the Mara we didn’t get to shower and after three days of putting on sunscreen, bug spray, and being sprayed with mud when we were off roading... well, I needed a shower pretty bad.

I am spending the rest of this week in Nairobi- Lisa and Evans are taking me to different animals places here- and again, lucky me, with their connections it will be amazing! I leave Saturday, I’m in shock at how fast my departure has come. I will try to post pictures- but it’s very difficult to post them since the internet connection is so slow.